WARRIORS: Into the wild rewrote

Chapter 1

Rusty opened his eyes, breathing heavily. A nightmare. He thought about it. He was In the woods, fighting off dogs. He sighed and leaped towards the door. He walked outside and looked towards the stars.

Afterward, Rusty settled down on top of one of the posts in the fence that marked the limits of his garden. It was a favorite spot of his, as he could see right into the neighboring gardens as well as into the dense green forest on the other side of the garden fence.

He heard his owners giving him one last call from the back door. If he went to them now, they would greet him with gentle words and caresses and welcome him onto their bed, where he would curl, purring, warm in the crook of a bent knee.

Rusty turned his head, his emerald eyes piercing through the night as he glared at his two-leg's place.

Suddenly the fur on his spine prickled. Was something moving out there? Was something watching him? Rusty stared ahead, but it was impossible to see or smell anything in the dark, tree-scented air. He lifted his chin boldly, stood up, and stretched, one paw gripping each corner of the fencepost as he straightened his legs and arched his back. He closed his eyes and breathed in the smell of the woods once more. It seemed to promise him something, tempting him onward into the whispering shadows. Tensing his muscles, he crouched for a moment. Then he leaped lightly down into the rough grass on the other side of the garden fence. As he landed, the bell on his collar rang out through the still night air.

"Where are you off to, Ruuuuusty?" Inquired a familiar voice behind him.

"Rust-Cat! Where are you going tonight? Wondering the streets again?" Another voice, this one higher pitched, meowed sweetly.

"Oh hello Smudge and midnight." Rusty said,looking at the black and white cars before him.

"Rust, you gonna go into the woods?" Midnight questioned, his purple collar jingling. Rusty nodded, then added "Only for a look. It's not going to be long"

Smudge hissed "Well I'm not coming, it's extremely dangerous! Henry told me all about it."

Midnight turned, fur bristling "That fat old tabby never went into the woods! He's hardly been beyond his own garden since his trip to the vet. All he wants to do is eat and sleep." He growled.

"No, really. He caught a robin there!" Smudge insisted.

"Well, I don't believe it" Rusty hissed

"Well, anyway," Smudge went on, ignoring the scorn in Rusty's mew, "Henry told me there are all sorts of dangerous animals out there. Huge wildcats who eat live rabbits for breakfast and sharpen their claws on old bones!"

"I'm only going for a look around," Rusty meowed. "I won't stay long."

"Well, don't say I didn't warn you!" purred Smudge. The black-and-white cat turned and plunged off the fence and into his garden.

Midnight watched jump away then asked "Rusty can I come?"

Rusty looked into Midnight's icy eyes, letting out a small smile. He purred, rubbing his tail along Midnight's back, and responded to his adopted-brother-that-doesn't-live-with-him "If you really want!"

Rusty leaped down, and  flicked his tail, signaling Midnight to follow. Midnight jumped down, scrambling as he tried to regain balance. Rusty pushed his tail to Midnight's mouth and flicked his ears to a small mouse rustling in the underbrush nearby.

Midnight sat back and Rusty started to stalk towards the mouse. He leaped towards it and rustled in the undergrowth, hissing.  Rusty marched back, a skinny mouse in his mouth. Gray fur flash and attack the ginger cat. Midnight steps back, fur fluffed up. Rusty was quickly pinned down, a gray cat holding him there. Midnight growls "Get off of him!" Before lunging towards the cat.

The gray cat pushes the small black cat off of himself, a goofy smile across his face. "You two fight good for domestic kitties! I'm graypaw of thunderclan!"

Midnight lashed his tail, backing behind rusty who was ready to leap and attack again. "Why did you attack me?" Rusty exclaimed.

Graypaw flattened his ears "Because you are trespassing on Thunderclan territory and you stole prey!"

Midnight walked forwards and dipped his head "Ok ok listen. Me and rusty are sorry! We didn't mean any harm"

Graypaw sighed and shook his fur "I knoooww...it's just... uhggg... wait! You two need to-"

A blueish gray cat and a large lionlike cat walked out of the brush, heads held high. The lion spoke loudly "Graypaw, who are these two? And I thought I told you to stay away from the twoleg place!"

Graypaw lowered his head and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry. But this is uh..."

Rusty lashes his tail and said "I'm rusty and that is Midnight"

Graypaw looked back up and said "And these are Bluestar and Lionheart."

Bluestar finally spoke "Thank you for the introduction graypaw. Rusty. You are a natural hunter. That was a great catch, but yes it's still stealing from my clan. And Midnight" She glared at the small black and white cat "You are a good fighter, but you are quite small."

Rusty hissed "How is it stealing? It was right outside my house!"

Lionheart growled "You DONT know what it's like being in a clan! We need every bit of prey we get!"

Midnight looked away "Lionheart we're sorry. We didn't know"

"R-really?" Rusty stammered.  

Lionheart spoke now. His deep meow was respectful but insistent. "Bluestar, this is a kittypet. Heshould not be hunting in ThunderClan territory. Send him home to his Twolegs!"

 Rusty prickled at Lionheart's dismissive words. "Send me home?" he mewed impatiently. Bluestar'swords had made him glow with pride. She had noticed him; she had been impressed by him. "But I've onlycome here to hunt for a mouse or two. I'm sure there's enough to go around."

 Bluestar had turned her head to acknowledge Lionheart's words. Now her gaze snapped back to Rusty.Her blue eyes were blazing with anger. "There's never enough to go around," she spat. "If you didn't livesuch a soft, overfed life, you would know that!"

 Rusty was confused by Bluestar's sudden rage, but one glance at the horrified look on Graypaw's facewas enough to tell him he had spoken too freely. Lionheart stepped to his leader's side. Both warriors loomedover him now.  Midnight hissed and moved closer to Rusty, fur spiked up. Rusty looked into Bluestar's threatening stare and his pride dissolved. These were not cozyfireside cats he was dealing with—they were mean, hungry cats who were probably going to finish whatGraypaw had started.